4 ms·

> If true self-driving cars ever become a reality, there's going to be a big demand spike for more and bigger roads Why would there be a need for more roads? I

> If true self-driving cars ever become a reality, there's going to be a big demand spike for more and bigger roads Why would there be a need for more roads? It seems like the opposite would be true: self-driving cars don't need safe following distance to each other. They could form a massive train (the more you look at self driving cars, the more they look like trains), with 1 inch of space between each vehicle. Highway lanes are so wide, that small self-driving vehicles could sit 2-across, with an inch of space between them. On-demand self-driving-cars could cut the total number of cars on the road by a big factor. Self-driving cars might never crash, so they won't need all those tons of safety equipment that each car lugs about, saving a pile of net energy.

ryukafalz 5y ago
> They could form a massive train ... with 1 inch of space between each vehicle. Okay, now a deer or a moose runs onto that road during a short gap in traffic. What happens next? > the more you look at self driving cars, the more they look like trains Sure, really big trains, with a tiny fraction of the carrying capacity.
criddell 5y ago
Self driving cars will eventually be significantly less expensive than current vehicles. They will be small and electric inexpensive to operate and trips will be very cheap. When the cost of a trip drops, more trips will be made. If self-driving succeeds to the point where I can send my car to pick up my dry cleaning or food without needing to be in the car, then expect the number of vehicles on the road to go up a lot. We might be able to pack two times as many cars on the road and make intersections way more efficient, but that won't be enough.
tqi 5y ago
I don't think most people conceptualize commutes in terms of distance, but rather time. So if commutes are now faster, people will move further out into areas that previously were less developed ie require new/more roads.

ryukafalz 5y ago

> They could form a massive train ... with 1 inch of space between each vehicle. Okay, now a deer or a moose runs onto that road during a short gap in traffic. What happens next? > the more you look at self driving cars, the more they look like trains Sure, really big trains, with a tiny fraction of the carrying capacity.

criddell 5y ago

Self driving cars will eventually be significantly less expensive than current vehicles. They will be small and electric inexpensive to operate and trips will be very cheap. When the cost of a trip drops, more trips will be made. If self-driving succeeds to the point where I can send my car to pick up my dry cleaning or food without needing to be in the car, then expect the number of vehicles on the road to go up a lot. We might be able to pack two times as many cars on the road and make intersections way more efficient, but that won't be enough.

tqi 5y ago

I don't think most people conceptualize commutes in terms of distance, but rather time. So if commutes are now faster, people will move further out into areas that previously were less developed ie require new/more roads.